Tourism Minister Ian Douglas wants queen contestants to be put to greater use throughout the year and is calling for the creation of a Carnival Queen Association.
He made the remarks during the official launch of Carnival 2014 which was held at the Krazy Koconutz this week.
The Tourism Minister said that the Miss Dominica Queen Show is seen as one of the county’s biggest events and as such, he is challenging those concerned to ensure that contestants continue to play a role after the night of the show.
“After your last walk on the night of the Queen show, it must not stop there we must find roles for our queens to continue to social activities on a lower level and national campaigns on a higher level,” He said. “I think now is time that we should consider some kind of Carnival Queen Association,” he suggested.
“Because what happens to the first runner up, the second runner up, all the queen contestants who have not been crowned queen because we can only crown one girl? We need to find a way to continue to engage you all throughout the year even though one person can be queen, and that is a challenge that I send out to all of us to find ways to challenge and engage our girls,” he said.
On another note Douglas said he would like to see carnival taken more seriously even to the point of building a profession around the event pointing out that it is “more than just a cultural celebration, carnival has a historic connotation to it, carnival has our heritage built into it and it has emerged as global industry.”
He added, “In Trinidad right now there are persons who work and generate revenue solely on carnival. They start planning for the next Carnival on Ash Wednesday, and what they do they have built a profession around carnival and that is the kind of vision and the projection that we need to have in Dominica”.
Mr Douglas, I can not help but thinking that you would make the ideal carnival queen! Get real man and concentrate on things that really matter to Dominica.
You know what irks me?
That every year Queens get scholarships to go and study law and everything else for parading themselves around a stage, while boys and girls with superior grades at A’Level cannot get to study cause they have no money and get none from the government
Yes, academics and beauty queens put in long hours of preparation.
But really, folks, who should get a scholarship or some assistance for STUDY purposes?
A brain or a beauty?
You what irks me?
That Queens can get scholarships to go and study law and everything else for parading themselves on a stage, while young men and women who get superior grades at A’Level, not enough to get the island scholarship, have no way of attending university.
Certainly not with government help.
Yes, queens and scholars both have to spend a lot of time preparing, but really folks, who is more deserving? Brains or beauty?
Mr. Douglas…..
If you had looked among the crowd of invited guests, you would notice that past queens are not even on the guest lists for carnival events..surely not the the launching, neither the show themselves. So what does that say about how disposable the Queens of Dominica are regarded by the people who organize the show. For them it is all about a money generating even and after the queen is crowned,that’s it. Well this year it will surely be different because our present queen is what Dominica has been ‘missing’ for so long….a ‘bourgeois”bofa’or whatever they call them these days. Indeed she will be invited to all future events long after her reign. The past ‘ordinary’ queens were not so lucky… According to Asa Banto…WHAT’s YOUR LAST NAME???
I completely agree with you. The show is a carnival queen show and yet they show no respect for their past queens. Anyway is a set of jokers that run the committee. Last year at the queen show I saw a past queen struggling to get a seat in VIP. In most other countries at least one past queen gets to judge the show. I haven’t noticed it here in Dominica. You are also right about them being selective. One set worthy, the rest are not. That ain’t right. Someone should take it up on Matt in the morning.
Mr Minister, words are easy to say…Government has to put MORE MONEY into carnival,,,u TALK OF Trinidad, BUT THEY put a lot of money into it….we need a more productive CARNIVAL COMMITTEE. Yes and I suggest that at least the 1st runner up could participate in one of the Regional shows.
If anyone do their research they would know that an association was attempted by the Queen contestants of 2003 and they did a lot but never got the support from public and even those asking for the association now
This is a wise idea which is worth establishing. Hopefully it will come to fruition and soon enough. They could also serve as role models to the youths; the students.
Mr. Douglas you have spoken very well; your idea here, is the sort of “initiatives” which the young people of Dominica needs to keep them in the function of Life–not wandering about with that lazy attitude, because their mind condition cannot respond to the thoughts of good things.
The problem is that those women, and men as well, are young and they someone or people, who are older, with the wisdom and philosophy needed in works, to stand behind them, to guide them, and to protect whatever the process that they are into–otherwise production fails to mature and the project shortly dies without fruitfulness.
It is good to come up with those ideas, Mr. Douglass, but as a man of authority in Dominica, we will need mature people like to work with the young women, until they have someone or a few among them who will take over leadership of the project for continuous production.
As you have said, let us stop talking and leaving what we have said at the microphone. Blessings.
Correction:
“they need someone or a few people”
“we will need mature people like you”
“someone or a few people among them”
Here you go again young teacher Elizabeth, supporting something that you do not even know what you are supporting.
What can he use carnival Queen to do in a place like Dominica?
After the show it is all over, even in the Miss. Universes, Miss. America; after their performance on stage and the one year tenure making a few appearances it is all over they despair into oblivion, never to be heard from again.
That is not a career, it is entertainment for a brief period. the comity or association he is considering forming, that is only because election is fast approaching, and he want somebody to believe they be on the comity as long as they vote for him.
As the Minister of tourism, you need to ask him where is Dominica’s International Airport, ask him why he as the tourism king, has not ensure that we have everything to accommodate the tourist.
Asks Ian Douglas where are our gulf courses, hotel resorts such as similar to the international Sandals, ask him how come he is powerless to influence any reputable international chain of Hotel operators to invest into the tourism industry in Dominica, which could become a real industry, rather than bouyon music.
And don’t E-mail and curse me, ( cause I doh is home oui).
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Talk to kid Douglas, and have a nice day, I in me twilight zone sleeping!
FET.
@Francisco Telemaque January 11, 2014
It seem as if you are going all over DNO’s news board looking for my comments, so you can write your negative nonsense against my thoughts.
I understand what Mr. Douglas is talking about, because I was always involved in the Youth Group of my village–Miss Elizabeth Alfred was my mentor, during those days; she is still popular with doing social works for the benefit of Giraudel. We don’t have young people stealing and killing people from there–one of the big events of Giraudel is our Annual Flower Show. If I was still in Dominica I would be a big part of those events–and yet I am pass the years of youth.
You do not understand what Mr Douglas is saying, because you don’t know anything about social works. If the majority of our young people–guys and ladies– we more involved in some project of social works–their mind shape would be in a better form–we would have less crimes and the lazy attitude that produce nonentity?
Mr. Douglas is right; the young ladies can continue to be productive after the sessions of Carnival is over. What they need is the support or the back-up of those in authority, who should have the wisdom and philosophy which is needed, to keep their work in process and progress–apparently you did not read that in my first post.
“And don’t E-mail and curse me, ( cause I doh is home oui)” Francisco Why do you always have to become personal in your comments here. If you are waiting for an email from me don’t bother to go to your inbox–because there won’t be anymore.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!–Right back you, my friend
“I in me twilight zone sleeping”! Yes indeed that is where you belong; if you never come out of there, a lot of us would be happier–Hehehehehe!
FET.
I don’t think you very well understand the tourism of dominica my dear friend.we strive in being the nature isle of the Caribbean.the fact that it is so organic is what draws people in in the first place.dominica is a place to hike and enjoy all the natural beauty and history so where would we put a golf course or any these hotel chains that you speak of? That is called deforestation and it isn’t what dominica needs. So because America has the grand canyon must we build one also to draw more attention?
In many ways I do agree that there should be a higher purpose for the carnival queen than just pure entertainment and just to let you know miss USA miss universe and all the likes after the competition, they don’t only do guest appearances and such they actually take part in charity and get scholarships to school. Dominica needs more people to inspire the youth and that should be exactly what the carnival queens are doing.
As for carnival, it has long lost its meaning, now it’s just a jump up for everybody so maybe if the queens were more involved we can bring back the culture and the true meaning of why we have carnival celebrations.
Instead of trying to ruin dominica with all these franchises and take away from the organic feel that makes it so unique we should bring back the culture and the true meaning of being a dominican. Draw people in for who we are and not because we trying to act like everybody else.
Are you going to pay them?
Why does evrything have to be about money, you all want to be like North Americans, ask the winners of the pageants like Miss America,miss world etc. how much they are paid to do all the charity work or other things that they do in their country
They are paid and subsidized honey.
Mr Minister u not easy!
That is what it sounds like, but I think it’s just poor choice of words by the minister. At least I hope so. I would have preferred to have read that the queen should be given a larger role in the society, the island, globally, whatever, as she reigns through her year of victory. The word “use” is a poor choice.
Admin: Thanks. Corrected.
An excellent idea about having the contestants play a role beyond the competition. The girls could continue promoting their platform at various events, taking their messages to schools and to local communities. If a contestant’s message focuses on eradication of poverty, then what about serving as an ambassador to the social welfare department? She could lead an effort in her village to address poverty leading to a national movement. Just think, if there are 6 young women using their platforms to effect change, what a transformation we would have.
I think that these girls would run the Country better than Ian’s Government.
We are paying you as Minister therefore, it’s your job to create the policy and provide the funding to achieve the idea of using the carnival queens.
nonsense
You want be Minister of Culture as well? You are forgetting that is Mr. Charles job. Just keep an eye on Levi Peter and concentrate on what really matters, the improvement of your tourism product. We still seeing the same paros in Roseau, the same holes in the road, the place still stinking. The boulevard looking tatty and tourist still having to take their lives in their hands walking that grotty track from deep water harbour to town through Pottersville. You want cruise ships to come back? Well it does not look like it.
Your school report saying:” Ian must concentrate. He can do much better”. Please Minister, stay away from the partying and do some serious work.
that does not matter. it does not realte to the the point. plzzzz think before you talk
Please do not put all the pressure on the women. The calypso King and the runner ups can also be put to “greater use.” Each one teach one.
True say Mr. Douglas. I lament that year and year, our contestants are dying for sponsorships … it has become increasingly difficult to get corporate sponsors. Perhaps they might want to consider using these beautiful talented young girls as brand ambassadors and work with them throughout the year.
many companies did that in the past. Cable and Wireless, Domlec, Old Street Possie, the Banks… it’s up to the sponsor’s PR department to see how best they can use their investment.
As for the association, it has been tried but when we look at the animosity that has erupted after the queen is crowned how do we expect it to work? Most of the queen contestants have moved on to study overseas and have taken up residency there. Go back 10-20 yrs and try to find the girls whom we want to form the association with.
I agree. This year’s first runner-up was very good and her platform about eradicating poverty was very interesting. She should have done something more. #my2cents
True say